I fucking love Christmas. I love the whole holiday season. The glitz the glam the cozy vibes. I am Hallmark’s target audience and I have no shame in my holiday game. One of my favorite parts of the whole thing is the decor. The shiny things, the lights, it’s all magic and brings a smile to my face.
To me, the holidays mean celebration. It’s a time to celebrate the year leading up to this time and the people who have made it what it is.
In 2020, it can feel hard to celebrate. There has been devastating loss of life and complete destruction. Our country has been pulled by hate, corruption and complete letdown by the government that is supposed to protect us.
I sit here from a place of complete privlege. I am healthy. My family has stayed relatively healthy (multiple family members have beat covid). I have a job, a really good one. While I have faced great mental health challenges, I have also thrived. I am luckier than a lot of people right now. For that I am grateful.
I have been lucky enough to give back. For that I am grateful.
I have a comfortable, safe home to stay home in. For that I am grateful.
There is food on my table, clothes on my back, and money in my bank account. For that I am grateful.
2020 has not been the year I wanted. I’ve missed out on trips, time with loved ones, and it has been isolating at times. But I cannot help but feel grateful.
By no means do I want to belittle any struggles of anyone, myself included. Yet it a year of complete devastation for so many, I am grateful.
I have had the time and resources to get involved in the fight for social justice. I text banked during the election. I gave to shelters and food banks.
2020 has been a year that has humbled me. It has allowed me perspective and focuse on the people and the things that truly matter. It has built an exorbant amount of empathy in my heart for the people that were not born with my privielge.
The Holiday Season for me in 2020 is a gift. It’s the sparkles and the sequins but it’s the gratitude for me. I may not feel the usual celebratory glow that I used to this time of year, but I feel so much gratitude.
2020 changes so many of us. I hope those changes last us a lifetime.